I'm sorry for your illness.
Working with the fact that I will die, everyone I know will die, and everything I value is impermanent is one of the most difficult things we as human beings work through. I'm sorry this is your current experience, and wish you ease in your journey.

Understand yourself at the deepest and broadest levels (contemplative practices such as meditation) is part of "self awareness" that shows a common shared humanity and empathy and compassion for the other humans on this earth.

When you have compassion for others, you naturally want to reduce and relieve the suffering of yourself and others. That brings a lot more context to how a person lives and shows up in the world.

I don't know what to say but I'm here to listen to your story. Thanks for sharing.

My best wishes to you and for you.

Words to live by. Thanks

Quite a few people with stage 4 cancer recover. Michael Milken was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 1993, and he's still alive. Martha Argerich was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in 1995; the doctor who treated her, Donald Morton, died 6 years ago, but Ms. Argerich is still alive. I wish you good luck and improved health.

I came back to your posting to both compliment you on your perspective and to thank you for putting this issue out here.
I want to let you, and others, to know that there is an international organization, called the "Death Café Movement," that is a place for people to meet, and talk about death, rather than live as if it does not exist, wearing blinders. It is not a bereavement group, not a religious group, though it is often sponsored by a church:[google.com]

i had a prostatectomy 7 yrs ago & i suppose if i live long enough that cancer will probably recur.
do you mind me asking your history & what treatment you chose? or was it discovered in stage 4. mine was stage 2.

I’m so sorry. I hope your suffering is lessened by the love and comfort of your friends and family

Sorry to hear of what you are coping with ; AND your approach is similar to mine . I add too how a persons life
should be filled with exploration and learning( about the outside world & themselves). This helps humanity as well as oneself. The distractions you spoke of have thier place
in ones understanding of what surrounds us.(enterainment
)Music after a 40hour work week is more or less a need; a healthy one.
By exploring what benifits and and what doesn't is PART of the human condition. We don't come from the womb aware
of what is out there.Others inform( good & bad) perception
of the world; and it doesn't stop changing.Having to live @20
is different(and should be) from having to live at 80.
Thanks

We are each unique, human snowflakes, no two alike. Maybe the desire to be special is like the calling of our DNA to reproduce, "I am somebody, I am important, I matter!"

I know I do want to matter. We connect to each other through love on many different levels, maybe to pets. Some of us feel a cosmic connection to everything. Believing in God would give our life a certified significance; without that we have to find our meaning on our own.

There are times when we fail those we love, and for me it rips away the veneer of greatness I bestow upon myself. We are only human after all.

I hope you are surrounded with love in these your final days.

Ken

Good thoughts. Wishing you lots of peace !

Wow. Insightful and brave.

"Cancer Group for Support and Education" In case you could use support from other folks who have had cancer.

I'm 10 years out from my initial Breast Cancer diagnosis.
It certainly changes your outlook.

Wish you could tell us the truth from beyond the grave. Sorry to hear of your health but it is something we will all have to face someday. I hope your exit will be as comfortable and painless as possible.

Birth, life, death. There is no awareness in the grave. Or regrets! You are responsible for giving your life meaning & hence purpose.

I can only wish you the best.

For me it’s a natural thing, but I continue to learn. I guess you’re at different stage of life, instead of striving to learn and improve your internal dialogue or work and try to improve on the world that we live in, you’re likely coming to peace with things and experiencing forgiveness for yourself and others.
I hope so, And I hope there aren’t too many hurts or regrets impeding a good end.
For now I will continue with my dreams and escapism of improvement although I am both slowing down and being more stoic about things in my middle age.
I guess we all find different meaning in life, but to presume that your understanding of things is any better than another’s can seem quite arrogant too.
One world one dance, one life one chance

Quite an astute observation, albeit perhaps a little narrow minded on the topic of “drugs.” Have you ever tried or considered trying hallucinogenic mushrooms? Both macrodosing as well as microdosing have helped me to connect better with the world around me and have given me the opportunity to step outside of my ego to view the world as others may see it. I’ve read and heard stories from others that have used hallucinogens to gain greater peace in the face of their own mortality. Personally, I find it helps me to deal with my regrets and focus on forgiving myself.

Do or don’t, the choice is yours. My personal recommendation is to be open to new experiences.

Hmmm. It truly must be profound to know in advance how your end will come. I like what you said about not being anymore precious than any other life on this planet. I became vegan for this reason- even though plants are life as well. Relatively content is my motto- and I have been pretty fortunate in that regard. Though I often think that I will miss myself when I am gone. Do you ever think this? Maybe a bit fatuous, but true.

I gather when the time comes and if I have enough time to think about it, I'll be fairly stoic but piss and moan some as well because I rather enjoy my company and believe that I shall miss it. Fair winds and calm seas to thee on your journey.

I agree that there’s nothing special about individual human bodies—they’re a dime a dozen. The process of life however is a consciously aware continuum that endures. That’s all that matters.

Maybe the notion of a god can evolve to a place where it’s believable. Far from it for me now but if you get rid of what I think is bullshit then, maybe it would be nice to think of a higher power. I always felt that we agonists were at a disadvantage about death. I’m so uncomfortable at Christian funerals and love to have a good excuse not to go. Religion right now is way to screwed up but would it be so bad if Santa was really real. Just crazy thoughts . I admire your ideas and your courage. Don’t think I will be so good.

Excellent post. I certainly agree with the general theme. Don't fear any of the heaven and hell bullcrap. It's obviously a scam to get commoners to keep working the soil for the benefits of their leaders. To Cicero, the soul is that part of us we leave behind in the minds of people that knew us. Just try to be a good person and forget about going to church.

Yes..there's a lot of me in your post..

So very true.